Awning frame



- March 5 1927' T. c. GIRTON E AL AWNING I FRAME Filed March 25, 192.6

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

IRTON.

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FREDERICK \f. I? KUHLMANN j BY m ATTORNEYS.

' v 1,620,958 March 15, 1927. T. a GRTON ET AL AWNING FRAME Filed March25, L926 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 IO l7 i74|,@ kg

o F. 0. 4 a n Ag I 22' I I 9 1 V// 2 w g5 /5 THOMAS I FVPEDEEIC-K JJ?KUHLMA/V/d.

4\ 3 Zia/waif M/fla ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 15 1927.

Y UNITED STATES THOMAS o. GIRTON-AND FREDERICK J; P.

NIA, Assrernonsvro n. M. GOLDBERG 00., A PARTNERSHIP ooNsIsTINGoF HARRY,

moonnrnne, MILTON BIRNBAUM, AND HHsrA'roHEL EmhLL' or SAN rRAN-i cIsco,CALIFORNIA.

AWNING FRAME. 1 Y I Application filed. March as, 1926.- Serial n...97,191.

This invention relates to frames for awn.

ings and particularly to a frame adapted to supporta heavy illuminatedsign at its outer 1 edge. Such a frame is shown in a c'o-pend 6 ingapplication Serial No. 5,937 t Harry M.Goldberg, filed J an. "31, 1925.The'outer edge of the frame shown in thls prlor ap: plication issupported ent rely by the awning when the frame is in the downpositionWe have found. that a heavy frame having a heavy sign onits free endcannot be substantially supported in this manner. Furthermore, placingthe entire weight on the awning causes the awning to wear out rapidlyand deteriorate.- It is an object of our invention to provide animproved awning frame and supporting means combined therewith which willsecurely support the frame, and a sign thereon, without placing anystrain on the awning. 1

\Ve have also'found that an awnlng frame having a heavy sign on itsfront edge is so heavy and cumbersome, that the same is raised withgreat difficulty and is liable to drop so quickly in lowering as tocause breakage. It is a further object of our inv vention-to provide animproved, awning frame'and resilient means cooperatingthere withforpreventing shock when lowering the frame and :for assisting in raisingthe frame. a

- Our invention provides means cooperating with the awning framewhichvperforms the three-fold function .of absorbing the" shock whenlowering the frame, supporting the frame in its lowered position, andaiding in the raising of thefframe, other cooperat ng means beingprovided for aiding in, the m1- tialraising of the frame. It isa further4 object of our invention to vp'rovlde such meansfor performing thefunctions stated. In theaccompanying drawings, we have illustrated onespecific embodiment ofiour invention, but-it will be understood that theinvention ,can be otherwise embodied, and that the drawings are not tobev construed as defining or=limiting the scope of. the invention, theclaims appended to this specification being-relied upon for thatpurpose.

Referring tov the figures of the drawings: v Figure 1 is aperspectiveview of an awningframe embodying our invention. -Figure 2 is a sideelevationof the frame in'its raised or-fo1dedposition;

liigure 3 alike view showing the frame in its down position.

in an intermediate position. v

structure, such as the front of a store, on

Figure 4 is a. like View showing the frame KUHLMANNQ or. sArf raanorsco,CALIIFOR- which our improved awning frame'is mOunt- 1 ed. A pairofvertically extending rods 2 are securedto thestructure at; each sideof the frame.-, A member 3 is slidably'mounted on each rodby' means ofstraps 4. A pair. Of parallel side arms 5 and 6 are pivoted. to

each member 3- and pivotally connected at their outer ends to asignmember 7 extendmg along'the front edge of the. frame between thet wopairs of arms 5 and 6. This zmember-may be an illuminated sign of anytype desire I Asupporting rod is pivoted to amide ture ,l over eac'hpair of-a'rms 5 and 6, andis pivotally connected to the arm 5 by meansof a collar 9 clamped to the arm. One end of the awning 10 is connectedtogthe top of the sign member -7' and the other end is wound onto aroller 11 mounted in arecess 12 formed in thestructure 1. Thei rollervis operated by. shafting 1'3 and connectin gears 14 in the well knownmanner.

parts thus fardescribed, the entire-weight the sign"7,'wo'u1d be on theawning and on Were the frame constructed onlyof thei the rods 8.vFurthermore, it would be ex} tremely difficult to raise the frame, and

shock or breakage to the frame or sign might joccuriwhen lowering thesame. The mechanism now to be described and comprising our-inventionherein, overcomes all these 'ob-.

jections and renders the frame adapted to the use of heavier signsv thanhave. heretoy p fore been possible. I We provide a supporting connection'15 to each outer end of the frame. As-v illustrated,

inders 16pivotally connected together at 17.

in. each cylinder and a "rod 19 extends each such'connection'comprisesapair of cyl;

through each cylinderand spring. The in- Y ner'rod is pivotallyconnected to the -struc ture 1 at '20, and the outer rod is pivotallyconnected to the outer. end of arm 5, at 21. NVe also provide 'acompression spring 22 011 each rod 2abovethe. member 3 thereon.

The use and operation of our-invention is believed to be obvious.In'Fig. 2, the awnthe frame draws the rods 19v outwardly and compressesthe springs '18. ''The springs thereby serve tocounterbalance thegreater portion of the weight of the frame and sign in the finallowering movement thereof, and

\ actas a shock absorber to prevent breakage or injury to these parts.It'will furthermore be noted that in the final loweringmovement of theframe, the members 3 engage and compress the springs 22, whereby to'also cushion the-lowering of the frame at the other side of thesupporting pivot 9 7 As illustrated in Fig. 3, the frame in its downposition is supportedpositively by the rods 8 pivotally connected to thearms5, no

weight being carried by the awning itself. The location of the pivots 9and the weight of the sign 7, cause the frame to normally tend to turnclockwise about the pivots The arrangement of the springs 18 and22 issuch as to resist this movement and support the frame in the horizontalposition i1 ustrated. It will furthermore be noted that in the fulldownposition thesprings 18 are completely compressed, whereby to providea. positive and rigid support for the parts. With such asupport, thesign may be of'any weight desired, the supporting connections being madeof a corresponding size and strength.

The initial raising of the frame by the roller and awningalone wouldtake considerable power and place considerable strain on the awning andthe roller rotating mecha nism. The springs 18 and 9.2 are particularlyadapted to assist int-his operation in a manner relieving the awning andits cooperating parts of these objections. WVith the frame in the downposition, the springs 18 and 22 are under compression as illustrated inFig. 3.

When initiallyrotating the roller to raise the frame, the-springs 22'first react to kick when the awning. is down.

Having thus described our invention, wha wec1a1m1s:'-.

necting the free ends of the'arms, an awning roller on the supportingstructure above the said pivot cgnnections and adapted to carry anawning connected to the sald means, and

means including resilient means forming a connection between thesupporting structure and the first said means, the second named meansacting as a shock absorber when lowering the frame, acting to supportthe frame in the lowered position and 'assistingin raising the frame.

2. An awning frame comprising the com-- bination of two relativelyspaced side arms having the inner ends pivotally connected to'asupporting structure, whereby the arms can swing vertically thereabout,means connecting the free ends of the arms, an awning roller on thesupporting structure above the said pivot connections and adapted tocarry an awning connected to the said means, and aresilient supportingmember above each arm, one end of each member being connected to thesupporting structure and the other end to the free end of thearm, andthe members acting as a shock absorber when lowering the frame, actingto support the frame in the lowered position and assisting in raisingthe frame. f

3. An awning frame comprising the combination of two relatively spacedside arms having the inner ends pivotally connected to a supportingstructure, whereby the arms can swing vertically thereabout, meansconnecting the free ends of the arms,'an awning roller on the supportingstructure above the said pivot connections and adaptedto'carry an awningconnected to the said means, and

a pair of resilient supporting members pivotally connected togetherabove each arm and having one end connected to the supporting structureand the other end connected to the free end of the arm, the membersacting as a shock absorber when lowering the frame, acting to supportthe frame in the lowered position and assisting in raising the frame.

41. An awning frame comprising the combination of two relatively spacedside arms having the inner ends pivotally connected to a supportingstructure, whereby the arms can swing vertically thereabout,means'connecting the free ends of the arms, an awning roller on thesupporting structure' above the said pivot connections and adapted tocarry an awning connected to the said means, a pair of cylinderspivotally connected together above each arm, a spiral compression sprinin each cylinder, and a'rod in each cylinder adapted to compress itsspring on outward movement thereof,two rods being connected to thesupporting structure, and the other two rods to the free ends of thearms whereby to act as a shock-absorber when lowering the frame, as asupport for the frame in the lowered position, and acting to aid inraising the frame.

5. An awning frame comprising the combination of a pair of relativelyspaced vertical rods secured to a supporting structure, 7

a member mounted to slide, on each rod, a

- compressionspring on each rod above the member, two relatively spacedside arms having the inner ends pivotally connected to the said membersfor vertical swinging movement, means connecting the free ends of thearms, an awning roller on the supporting structure above the said pivotconnections and adapted to carry an awning connected lowered positionand assisting in raising the frame.

6. An awning frame'comprising the combination of a pair of relativelyspaced vertical rods secured to a supporting structure,

a member mounted to slide on each rod, two

relatively spaced side arms having the inner ends pivotally connectedtothe said members for vertical swinging movement, means connecting thefree ends of the arms, an awning roller on the supporting structureabove the said pivot connections and adapted to carry an awningconnected tovtne said means, and 'rods'pivotally supported'on thevsupporting structure andpivotally connect ed to the, armsintermediatethe ends thereof, the frame beingadapted to pivot about thelast said pivot connections when raising the frame. a I

7 An awning frame comprising the combination of a pair of relativelyspaced vertical rods secured to a supporting structure, a member mountedto slide on each rod, a

compression spring on each rod above the a member, two relatively spacedside arms havv ing the inner ends pivotallv connected to the saidmembers for vertical swinging movement, means connectingthe free endsof, the arms, an awning roller on the supporting structure above thesaid pivot connections and adapted to carry an awning connected I to thesaid means, and rods pivotallysupf ported on the supporting structureand pivotally connected to the arms intermediate the ends thereof, theframe beingadapted to pivot about the last said pivot connections whenraising the frame and the said springs acting as shock absorbers whenlowerlng the frame and a1d1ng 1n the in1t1al raising of the frame.

THOMAS oeinron. it FREDERICK J. P. KUHLMANN.

